Are you ready to drive operational excellence and shape the future of transportation in Ontario? Bring your expertise in highway maintenance, construction, and design to this dynamic leadership role with the Ministry of Transportation.
As Head of Operational Services, you will oversee integrated service delivery across the West Operations region. You'll coordinate capital programs and infrastructure preservation, maintain unincorporated roads and bridges, manage contracts, and ensure compliance with policies and regulations. You'll also lead safety initiatives and support emergency planning.
Your role also collaborates with other ministry offices, partnering with Indigenous communities and municipalities, to provide these services, and support the safe and efficient movement of people, goods, and services.
and embark on a transformative journey with us!
The Ontario Public Service: Strengthening Ontario, together.
A career in the Ontario Public Service (OPS) is driven by purpose. We're building a stronger Ontario by delivering programs and services that make a real difference in people's lives. If you share this ambition, you'll find a workplace that reflects the diversity of the people we serve and empowers you to lead with confidence.
Why Your Leadership Belongs Here
- Purpose that drives you: Lead work that matters. Your leadership will shape policies, programs, and services that improve lives across the province—every day.
- A culture that supports you: Thrive in a flexible, inclusive, and respectful workplace that values your well-being and empowers you to bring your whole self to work.
- A career that grows with you: Explore leadership opportunities across ministries and sectors. With access to mentorship, learning, and mobility, your career can evolve here.
- Recognition that reflects your impact: We value the difference you make. You'll receive competitive pay, a defined-benefit pension, and benefits that support your well-being—plus meaningful recognition for your contributions.
We hold our leaders to high standards because we believe in their potential to drive meaningful change. In the Ontario Public Service, leadership means showing up with authenticity, acting with integrity, and having the courage to do what's right—even when it's hard.
As a leader, you'll be expected to create a team culture that encourages innovation, supports collaboration, and champions inclusion. You'll help build a diverse, anti-racist, and accessible workplace where everyone feels safe, respected, and able to thrive.
Leadership is about impact—and in these roles, you'll have the opportunity to make a meaningful one. You will:
- Coordinate the development and delivery of infrastructure capital programs
- Manage contracts, oversee external consultants, and resolve disputes to ensure compliance and service quality
- Maintain and improve unincorporated roads and bridges
- Participate in operational planning, budgeting, and resource allocation
- Implement programs in alignment with strategic plans, monitor expenditures, and provide technical guidance
- Engage stakeholders, including Indigenous communities and municipalities, coordinating consultation to incorporate their inputs and perspectives
- Lead risk identification, emergency planning, and safety program development
West Operations
West Operations integrates the delivery of ministry services in the region, including managing issues and stakeholders, relationships, corridor management, emergency management, infrastructure preservation and protection, maintenance and operations, to ensure a continuous flow of people, goods, and services to facilitate economic prosperity.
- Team Leadership: Skilled in guiding technical staff through coaching, feedback, and fostering a high-performance, inclusive work environment.
- Strategic Direction: Experienced in setting clear goals and driving continuous improvement across teams and operations.
- Resource Management: Strong background in managing budgets, human resources, and labour relations.
- Innovation & Growth: Committed to promoting learning, creativity, and professional development within teams.
- Regulatory Knowledge: Skilled in interpreting and applying legislation, policies, and standards related to infrastructure, highway operations, emergency management, municipalities, drainage, and unincorporated areas.
- Infrastructure Asset Management: Understanding of road and drainage deterioration and preservation to identify deficiencies and support project design, tendering, and delivery.
- Procurement & Contracting: Familiar with ministry procurement principles to support service acquisition. Familiar with contract administration and contract issue prevention and dispute resolution.
- Facility Design & Maintenance: Able to apply the Ontario Building Code and health and safety legislation to ensure compliant and safe design, construction & repair.
- Program Delivery: Proven ability to lead and manage program development, project execution, project tracking, and accomplishment reporting.
- Analytical Thinking: Skilled in developing plans, overseeing high-profile projects, and making data-informed decisions.
- Policy Evaluation: Experience reviewing legislation and policies, assessing relevance and impact to program areas, and providing strategic recommendations to senior leadership.
- Issue Management: Strong ability to anticipate and address key issues that may impact program success at the regional level.
- Relationship Building: Skilled in engaging stakeholders, including the public, contractors, municipalities, and agencies, with tact and diplomacy.
- Team Collaboration: Strong interpersonal skills to lead teams, promote customer service excellence, and support performance.
- Representation: Experienced in representing the ministry on internal and external committees, task forces, and working groups.
- Communication Skills: Proficient in preparing and delivering briefings, presentations, and written materials for diverse audiences.
If you are excited about this position and meet most, but not all, of the listed qualifications, please still consider applying. We recognize that no one person might have every qualification in this job ad, and you just might be the right candidate!
Think this role could be right for you?
We're here to support you every step of the way. These short videos can help you feel confident and prepared:
- Navigating Our Hiring Process – Get a clear overview of each stage in our structured hiring process so you know what to expect and how to prepare.
- Application Preparation Tips – Learn how to showcase your leadership experience in ways that align with how we evaluate applications during the screening stage.
Take a few minutes to explore these resources. They're designed to set you up for success.
We are building an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We encourage everyone interested in working with us to apply, including people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black and racialized individuals, as well as people from all ethnicities, cultures, sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.
Our hiring process is accessible, consistent with Ontario's
Human Rights Code and the
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. We are working to prevent and remove barriers in our hiring processes and can offer accommodation to address specific needs related to Code-protected grounds such as disability, family status and religion. For more information about accommodation during the hiring process please contact us.
Learn more about the work the OPS is doing to create an inclusive, anti-racist, accessible and diverse workplace:
- diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives
- accessibility
- Anti-Racism Policy
